walkableprinceton

Beautiful Walkable Princeton: Stony Brook Trail

Posted on July 21, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Part of Stony Brook Trail, near the Hun School in Princeton. (Click to expand.)

One of the nicest trails in Princeton starts at the parking lot of D&R Greenway Meadows and continues through uninterrupted green space along the Stony Brook and then by the Jasna Polana golf course all the way to Route 206- some 2.3 miles in all. (Click here for a full map). The trail was dedicated in 2010 after 15 years of planning and implementation led by Friends of Princeton Open Space in cooperation with Township engineers. The trail criss-crosses across beautiful waterways on a number of bridges including the wooden one shown above. Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Princeton, Trails, Walking | Tagged Princeton, trails | Leave a comment

Princeton ‘Advisory Planning District’ Report Offers Positive Change

Posted on July 15, 2014 by walkableprinceton

How can Princeton residents give input on planning issues? (Click to expand.)

‘Advisory Planning Districts’ have been suggested as a new way for Princeton neighborhood residents to provide input on planning matters. Tonight, based on their interim report, an ‘Advisory Planning Districts Task Force’ looks set to recommend against setting up new committees, but has a bunch of positive ideas about how to make planning in Princeton more transparent. Continue reading →

Posted in planning, Princeton | Tagged New Jersey, planning, Princeton | Leave a comment

Another Defeat For Princeton ‘Dinky’ Train Campaign Group

Posted on July 10, 2014 by walkableprinceton

The Dinky train departing Princeton Station. (click to expand.)

Princeton’s “Save The Dinky” group, who have been waging a legal campaign to reverse the relocation of the Princeton rail station, have suffered another court setback. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, planning, Princeton, Transit, Zoning | Tagged dinky, New Jersey, Princeton, Princeton University | 1 Comment

Housing Experts: More Apartments, Small Homes, Density In Walkable Places Needed To Fix NJ Affordability Crisis

Posted on July 3, 2014 by walkableprinceton

A home for sale in Princeton. But is New Jersey doing enough to make it possible for people to access suitable housing markets? (click to expand.)

New Jersey’s Star-Ledger news group is hosting a series called ‘Improving New Jersey’ in collaboration with Together North Jersey, and the first topic under consideration is the housing crisis in New Jersey. As we know, New Jersey is the second-worst state in the nation for housing cost. The cost of housing sucks money out of the local economy, and places many households in a precarious situation with regard to just paying the rent or mortgage payment. What are the causes of this crisis, and how can we resolve it? Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Density, People, planning, Real estate, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged New Jersey, planning, Princeton, star-ledger, together north jersey, Zoning | Leave a comment

Downtown Princeton: Teresa Cafe Adding Outdoor Patio Area, To Open ‘July’.

Posted on June 30, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Outdoor seating area under construction at Teresa Cafe. (Click to expand.)

Outdoor seating area under construction at Teresa Cafe, Palmer Square, Princeton. (Click to expand.)

Teresa Cafe, in Palmer Square in downtown Princeton, is constructing a new outdoor patio seating area. The new dining space is expected to open some time in July. Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown Vibrancy, Princeton | Tagged al fresco, dining, Princeton, terra momo | 4 Comments

Street Art In…Princeton?

Posted on June 28, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Stickers on reverse of ‘Stop’ sign at Witherspoon and Hulfish Street, Princeton. June 28, 2014. (click to expand.)

For better or worse, in an urban environment, we are surrounded by graffiti, or ‘street art’ as it is known by aficionados. Many cities are known for it, but it’s not something we usually associate with Princeton is not one of them! After watching ‘Exit Through The Gift Shop‘, however, the work of street artists, which in many cases went unobserved before, stands out. Take this ‘Stop’ sign at the intersection of Hulfish Street and Witherspoon Street in downtown Princeton. ‘Sticker bombing‘ is a sub-genre of street art (also known as vandalism and almost certainly unlawful). But are any of these stickers intended as art? Let’s take a closer look at some of the individual stickers: Continue reading →

Posted in Princeton, Walking | Tagged graffiti, jane jacobs, Princeton, street art, Walkability | 2 Comments

Princeton U. Grad Students Issue Official Statement Demanding More Housing

Posted on June 26, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Part of Princeton University's 'Lakeside' project, which will include new graduate housing. But will it be enough? (click to expand.)

Part of Princeton University’s ‘Lakeside‘ project at Faculty and Elm Road. It will include new graduate housing but will it be enough? (click to expand.)

Princeton University’s Graduate Student Council (GSG) have released an official statement calling on University authorities to step up the provision of housing for post-graduate students. The statement, which was approved May 14, argues that every graduate student affiliated with the University should have the right to choose to live close to campus. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Community, Downtown Vibrancy, planning, Princeton, Real estate, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged grad school, Princeton, Princeton University, rentals, student politics | 3 Comments

Princeton Planning Board Approves Mixed-Use 255 Nassau Street Plan

Posted on June 6, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Photograph of the final, approved 255 Nassau Street development, as presented to Princeton Planning Board June 5. (click to expand).

Photograph of the approved proposal for redevelopment at the 255 Nassau Street site, as presented to Princeton Planning Board June 5. (click to expand).

The Princeton Planning Board voted last night to approve a mixed-use redevelopment at 255 Nassau Street, in Princeton’s East Nassau Street neighborhood. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, architecture, Density, Downtown Vibrancy, planning, Princeton, Real estate, Smart Growth, The Parking Question, Traffic, Zoning | Tagged planning, Princeton, Princeton University, smart growth, Walkability | 1 Comment

‘Bus Rapid Transit’ Plan Advances In Bergen County, NJ

Posted on June 5, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Current planned routes for Bergen County BRT (via www.bergenbrt.com)

An updated scheme for what is being called ‘Bus Rapid Transit’ has been put forward for Bergen County, NJ. The plan, developed by engineering and design firm Parsons Brinckerhoff in association with NJ Transit and local agencies, envisages five routes in the area of Hackensack/Rutherford/NJ-Route 17 (see map above). Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Local, planning, Traffic | Tagged BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, New Jersey, nj transit, traffic, Transit | Leave a comment

Jersey’s “Star-Ledger” Picks Up On Demand For Walkable Living

Posted on June 2, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Downtown Princeton- an example of an in-demand walkable place. But is the downtown set up to best facilitate walkers?

New Jersey may be known as one of American’s original suburbs- but in recent years, walkable urban places have eclipsed car-dependent suburbia for many potential homeowners. Although sites like ‘NJ Future‘ and ‘Walkable Princeton’ have focused on the benefits of compact walkable living, the idea hasn’t quite gone mainstream in the Garden State. Last weekend, New Jersey’s Star-Ledger group- which runs the ‘Trenton Times’ and NJ.com website- published two articles that indicate how walkable urbanism is increasingly becoming the ‘new normal’. Continue reading →